21. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue (1959)

 1. So What *

2. Freddie Freeloader

3. Blues in Green *

4. All Blues *

5. Flamenco Sketches

A+

I've been kind of dreading writing about this album. I mean, what do you say about an album widely regarded as perhaps the greatest ever recorded? An album that completely rewrote the rules for popular music. For many people, this is THE jazz album. Miles Davis would still be revered if he'd never recorded it, but in many ways his stratospheric reputation rests on these five tracks. 

I suppose the simple thing is to remember I'm not Robert Christgau. I'm not writing a review for the ages, that will influence millions. I'm recording my observations for a blog which, in all probability, no-one will ever read. So with that out of the way, on we go.

I really think the MVP on this album is bassist Paul Chambers. The soloing by Coltrane, Davis and Adderley is beautiful and melodic, and Bill Evans and Wynton Kelly do a great job on the piano, but everything here is held together by the subtle interplay between Chambers and drummer Jimmy Cobb. Their playing is understated and simple, but it provides a perfect base for the incredible soloing of the rest of the players. And I mean, look at "So What". Maybe the greatest jazz recording of all time, and the first thing I always think of when reminded of it is Chambers' immortal bass riff. Then you have a track like "All Blues", which is entirely built around a simple variation between two notes (with a few detours along the way). Which isn't to detract from the rest of the band. I just love rhythm sections - my favourite jazz musician is bassist Charles Mingus.

So anyway, if you've never heard this album then go out and buy a copy. Or download one - I don't care. It's pretty magnificent. Its charm lies in the way it manages to be quietly experimental. At a time when jazz was getting more and more technical, Davis threw all the complexities away and adopted an understated improvisational approach that relied on scales and modes instead of increasingly complex chord changes. The result is an album that is incredibly listenable. You can have it as background music, play it in an elevator, or play it on headphones and be blown away by the subtle interplay of the musicians. And it's beautifully recorded, too - there's a perfect balance between the players, creating a marvellous ambience. This record sounds incredible.

Anyway, enough gushing. Truth be told, I don't actually listen to this that often. "So What" is one of my favourite pieces of music, but I really have to be in the mood to enjoy this album. I think the problem is that I tend to listen to music that reflects my mood, rather than letting music alter my mood, and so since I rarely feel laid-back and gently swinging I tend to overlook this one. Still, it's not often you can claim an album is perfect. This is one of the few truly perfect albums in existence.